A/N: Nope, same chapter, just that it's been beta-ed now :) Thanks to OrbThesela for that!

And thanks to all the reviewers...I think I might have forgotten to mention that when I previously posted this chapter...but I've said it now. Thank you tons for reviewing...and a special holler to nacrolyte who started her own Dramione fic...good luck with it! :D

Chapter 21:

Hermione took longer in the shower than usual. She just had to…clear her head. Think. Something which she hadn't been doing properly for far too long now. But the time had come for Hermione to re-evaluate where she stood in life, and where she wanted to take it.

Hermione prided herself on being able to define her priorities. That was, in her mind, one of her greatest achievements. She had always known exactly what she wanted out of life. Her education was number one on the list, so she studied hard, worked hard and came out on top. Then came her family. Her parents, both of whom she loved dearly. Then came her friends. Harry, Ron and Ginny –people to trust, love and keep close. Somehow, 'boys' had never made its way onto the list, neither had 'love-life' nor had 'complicated relationships'. And yet, all three were somehow occupying very high positions on the list. Draco Malfoy was very close to replacing 'friends' on her list, while 'love-life' and 'boys' were at positions five and six respectively. How did that happen? How did the bookish, know-it-all Hermione Granger, mudblood extraordinaire, end up with two fanatically Pureblooded Slytherins on her tail? And all within a matter of three short months? And now she was being blackmailed by one.

Hermione had been through a lot of dangerous things during her time at Hogwarts, including the war –which had been traumatizing for many, but even that had been easier to let go off and not once had she ever imagined that she would find herself in a situation like this. A situation where she had to choose between her friends and her long-time nemesis turned…love interest. Or crush. Or whatever. A situation where her friendship depended on the whims of a boy she had once thought to be caring and compassionate. A fucking Slytherin.

Oh, Godric Gryffindor was rolling around in his grave. Hermione knew it. She sighed and stepped out of the shower, using her wand to unlock both the door leading to her room, and the one leading to Draco's room. The second she did, however, his door flung open, revealing a very angry Draco Malfoy.

Hermione's eyes widened in apprehension, as she realised that being faced with a very angry Slytherin while wearing only a towel was a very bad idea. Lucky for her, he didn't pay much attention to her attire, and instead pointed to his wristwatch.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked pleasantly, his tone belying his demeanour.

"N-no," she answered, taking a step back to safety –her own room.

"Obviously not, since it's five fucking minutes to breakfast!"

She gulped. She had taken that long? "Oh...why didn't you knock?"

"Knock? Knock? Granger, I've been bloody knocking for the past ten minutes! What are you, deaf?"

Hermione's eyes widened further. He had? Had she been that deep in thought that she hadn't heard him? Or what if he was right and she had gone deaf? Maybe she should go and see Madam Pomfrey...

'GRANGER, STOP BLOODY SPACING OUT ON ME AND GET THE FUCK OUT SO I CAN TAKE A FUCKING SHOWER!"

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts, took one look at the incensed blond and hurried back into her room, muttering a quick apology. Once in her room, she quickly put on her clothes and gave her hair a quick brush, before picking up her bag and robe and heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

The hallways were rather empty as she hurried down, which made her hurry even more. How late was she? This was not good. She felt a surge of guilt as she realised that she had also delayed Draco, and now he was later than she was. This, apparently, meant that he was extremely late. Breaking into a run, she made her way into the Great Hall, finding only five or six people seated their respective House tables. She noticed a sixth-year at the Gryffindor table, as well as Lavender.

"Hey Hermione," Lavender mumbled, as Hermione greeted and took a spot beside her. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"No," Hermione answered, as she buttered her toast quickly, "I actually took too long in the shower, and now I'm late for lessons. Can't think what came over me, honestly."

Lavender gave Hermione an incredulous look. "Late? Hermione, have you seen the time? It's barely seven! Lessons don't start for another hour, at least!"

Hermione dropped the toast in mid-bite. "What?" she asked, quickly swallowing what she had bitten off. She had forgotten to wear her wristwatch in her haste. "But Malfoy said –"

Hermione abruptly broke off. She glanced at Lavender, who was looking at her sympathetically, understanding what she had been about to say. Breathing in and out slowly in an effort to control her anger, Hermione picked up her unfinished toast and ate it. Giving Lavender a quick smile, she got up and made her way back to the Head Common Room. Draco Malfoy was a dead man.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. FUCK!

Draco repetitively cursed himself as the warm water ran over his shoulders and back. Right now, if there was one person he hated more than Harry Potter, then it was definitely himself. He couldn't believe the way he had acted last night...and this morning. Like some pathetic teenager...some lovesick fool. Some enamoured idiot, completely wrapped around a female's finger. No female had ever managed to get the best of him thus far, and now he was practically eating out of a mudblood's hand, like a wanker.

No, this had gone far enough. Draco Malfoy didn't need anyone so much in his life, that he'd consider his life to be empty without them. No one. Not even Hermione Granger. He completely ignored the fact that this was a lie, and repeated it to himself like a mantra instead. He couldn't understand his obsession with her. It wasn't love. He wasn't at a point where he'd willingly give up all he had and his life for her. He cared for her, in his own way. Mostly, he wanted to shag her. But the fact that he was willing to wait until she felt ready had to mean something.

Yeah, it means that you've got other options while you're waiting, he reminded himself, cheering up slightly at the thought. Like wanking, his subconscious added. Draco knew it was true. He didn't find any appeal in any other girl right now and sleeping with them at this point would be a waste of his time, if not theirs.

This thought infuriated him to the point where he couldn't think straight. Here he was, pining for a mudblood, who was probably busy snogging her boyfriend this very second. He still couldn't believe he had shown his softer side last night. He didn't even know he had a softer side! He didn't want to believe he did. He chalked it down to temporary insanity and boredom. Yes, that must have been it. He slept on the Common Room floor with Hermione Granger because he had nothing better to do. Definitely.

Fuck! Draco angrily punched the wall, getting further annoyed when the pain did nothing for him. No release of tension. He punched it again and again. And again.

"Fuck it!" he roared angrily, when hints of blood appeared, smeared on the white tiles. He flexed his hand, noting how his knuckles were raw and bleeding, but still the pain wasn't enough. Not that Draco was into inflicted pain on himself, but at this moment, he needed some form pain to distract him from these damned thoughts! Damned thoughts about her, his feelings towards her...everything was about Hermione fucking Granger! And suddenly was scared that at some point, his life might be about her too. He wouldn't be able to bear that.

When he had properly woken up that morning, rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them, his senses had made a hasty re-entry. He had understood the full impact of his actions...and what they made him look like in her eyes. He had needed to reassert some authority on his life, and her, so he had made up a lie to kick her out of the Common Room. He had needed this time alone to think. Now that he had gotten it, he almost wished he hadn't. Because they all led back to one place...the spot on the Common Room floor he had vacated a few minutes ago. Where he had lain a few hours ago, with Hermione Granger curled up in his arms.

He slammed open the shower cubicle so hard, that the glass shattered. Draco looked at it, finally feeling a sense of accomplishment. He should have done that a long time ago. He was eyeing the mirror, wondering whether he ought to break that too, when the door to Hermione's room forcefully opened. He watched her watch him for a second, before she blushed severely, and clapped a hand over her eyes. Her other hand, he noted, was holding her wand. So she had finally found out about his...bending of the truth.

"Granger," he drawled, still managing to convey his anger, "if you wanted to see me naked, you could have just asked."

"I wouldn't want to see you naked if you were the last person on earth!" she yelled, dropping her hand for a split-second before realising that he still hadn't covered himself up. He seemed to have no problem with his state of undress. "And why can't you put a fucking towel on, at least?" she demanded.

"Uh...I don't want to?"

"Fuck you, Malfoy, and just put the bloody thing on!"

"Don't fucking tell me what to do!"

"What?" she asked, incredulously. "When have I ever done that?"

"Right now, maybe!"

"I just asked you to put on your towel...it's called decency, in case you've never heard of it!"

"Admit it, Granger, you're just a bossy bitch –"

"What?"

" –thinks she knows better than everyone else –"

"I never -!"

"-got feelings for you, it doesn't mean that you can tell me –"

"What the hell are you going on about, you crazy –"

"Crazy? I'm crazy? No, you're the crazy one if you think you can –"

"-shit like lying to me about the fucking time –"

"-wrap me around your little finger –"

"Malfoy, SHUT UP!"

"DON'T FUCKING TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

Hermione dropped her hand and stared at him, making sure to keep her eyes glued to his face. "What's wrong with you?" she whispered roughly.

He ran a hand through his hair, and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his hips. It was then that Hermione noticed the glass on the floor.

"Malfoy...what did you do?" she whispered again, observing the mess in awe.

"I opened the shower cubicle a little more forcefully than I had intended to," he replied, his voice once again adopting a tone of forced pleasantness. "I'll fix it."

Hermione shook her head. "You...you're mental, you know that? Completely out of it."

Hermione's wand dropped out of her hand with a clatter, as she found herself pushed up against the wall next to her room's door, Draco's hands firmly pinning her shoulders.

"Haven't done this in a long time, have we?" Malfoy sneered quietly.

Hermione swallowed and raised her chin up defiantly. He might have been crazy, but she wasn't going to be submissive. Instead, she stared him right in the eye, daring him to do whatever he planned to. In a strange way, this was a more familiar Draco than the one she had encountered last night. He was easier to hate.

Not that she could hate him right now. But still.

"No, Malfoy, we haven't. And I was hoping you had forgotten how to."

"Well, apparently I haven't, so listen up, bitch. Don't –and I mean, don't, judge me. Don't tell me what to do. Don't even think that you have any right over me. Got that?"

His use of the derogatory term made her head reel. How could she have thought –believed that he would be any different, now that he had claimed to have feelings for her? He was still the same, old nasty Slytherin she had met in first year. As she stood there, pinned up against the wall by Draco, she realised that probably the best decision she could have made was to have chosen her friends over him.

"Malfoy," she started, coolly, "let me go."

"Answer my question, Granger."

"Let. Me. Go."

"Not until you answer me."

"Answer what? What? What do you want me to say, damnit? You're going on and on about shit I don't even understand –I never even knew I'd done that to you! I can't imagine myself having any right whatsoever over you and you're asking to me to stop thinking that way? When I never even started?" Hermione let out a slightly hysterical laugh. This situation was getting out of control –her emotions were getting out of control. "If you feel that way, then I truly am sorry. I'm sorry that you...that you just –never got it."

With that, Hermione placed her hands on his chest and pushed him off with all the force she could muster, and ran into her room, slamming the door shut behind her as she left.

Draco broke the mirror.

"Pansy! Wait up!"

Pansy didn't bother turning as she slowed down. She knew that voice too well by now. Soon, he had caught up with her, and they resumed walking down to the dungeons.

"So, Blaise, tell me."

"It's done. I'm pretty sure whatever it is that happened between Malfoy and Hermione is over now."

Pansy gave him a sideways glance. "What did you do?"

Blaise smirked. "I made her an offer she couldn't refuse..."

Pansy smiled. That was all she needed to know.

One week left until the end-of-term exams, and it's now that they start revising, Hermione thought to herself, as she watched Ron and Harry pour over her notes. At least they were revising. She supposed it could have been worse. They could have not revised at all.

She looked down at her book and sighed. She had read all of this before, she knew everything there was to know in the book...and yet she still felt unprepared. Was that even normal? Hermione Granger, brightest student blah, blah...unprepared! Unsure of herself, of her abilities. Maybe it was because of the way she had been putting up with Blaise's every move this past week...like a mindless drone. Just to keep his mouth shut. Hermione Granger. The Gryffindor. Reduced to a mass of nothingness. How wonderful.

She shut her book and looked around. She had been seeking refuge in the Gryffindor Common Room this past week to avoid the two Slytherin males who had messed up her life to a point where she wasn't even sure how she'd be able to get it back on track again, and she had to admit. It felt good to be back in here, surrounded by the warmth, the incessant chatter (she didn't even have the heart to tell them off for it), the joviality –her friends. She had missed it so much without even realising it, and now that she had gotten it all back, she never wanted to leave. For once, she wanted to be a coward, and just hide. Hide until all her problems vanished away on the train home this winter. She, along with Harry and Ron, had chosen to remain at the castle, what with this being their last year at Hogwarts and all.

"Hey, Hermione!" Ginny chirped brightly, as she plopped down on a seat beside Hermione.

Hermione smiled and greeted her back, stretching as she set the book beside her.

"Taking a break?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah –I'm just so saturated right now. I can't really fit anything else in."

Ginny gaped. "Oh Merlin. I never thought I'd live to see the day when the Hermione Granger said that she was too saturated! Oh, I've got to write this down somewhere!"

Hermione laughed and gave Ginny a playful slap on the arm. "Very funny. Can't I be tired for a minute?"

Ginny smiled. "Sure you can. But usually, you're not."

Usually, I'm not a coward, either, Hermione thought to herself sadly. "Yeah," she responded quietly, "I guess I'm just a little low on energy these days."

"With all those meals you're missing, I don't blame you for lacking energy," Ginny retorted, not unkindly.

Hermione blushed. She had been missing meals, but she couldn't help it. The thought of food made her feel slightly nauseous nowadays. She hadn't even gone to dinner that night.

"What can I say, Gin? I'm on a mission to reach size zero by the end of this month," Hermione joked weakly.

"I can tell," came the dry reply.

They sat in silence for a while.

"So –how's the boyfriend?"

Hermione started. "W-what?"

Ginny gave her a quizzical look. "Boyfriend...you know, Blaise?"

"Oh. We...we haven't seen much of each other lately, because of all the revision. But when we have met up, erm...it's been okay."

"Just 'okay'?"

Hermione shrugged. "Just 'okay'."

"And how's Malfoy?"

Hermione looked at Ginny then, weighing her words. "Same as usual...a git if I ever saw one."

"Has he been bothering you, Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, we've...kept our distance."

That wasn't completely truthful. Hermione had kept her distance. Draco had accosted her in the hallway late one evening two days ago, pulling her into a dark alcove a few steps away. She noticed he had looked tired and weary. His mask had slipped off.

"I do get it."

He had kissed her then, frantically, almost trying to convey a message to her. A message she didn't get, and didn't want to get. She had walked away, and struggled internally not to turn around and look back. She hadn't.

Hermione pushed that memory as far back into her mind as it would go. They were just pointless, fruitless thoughts. She had her friends. She had a 'boyfriend'. He had his mini fan-club of girls. Everyone won.

"Hermione," Ginny began quietly, "is there something you want to talk about?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's not important anymore."

She stood up slowly, picked up her books and bag, bade farewell to Harry, Ron and Ginny, and headed straight to her room. She needed to sleep.